The Holy War, Made by King Shaddai Upon Diabolus, for the Regaining of the Metropolis of the World; Or, The Losing and Taking Again of the Town of MansoulBunyan, John
ReligionChristian
The Holy War, Made by King Shaddai Upon Diabolus, for the Regaining of the Metropolis of the World; Or, The Losing and Taking Again of the Town of Mansoul
Bunyan, John
Christian fiction; Soul; Spiritual warfare -- Fiction
My Lord Mayor then replied: ‘That though it was a virtue to entertain
strangers, yet it was treason to entertain the King’s enemies. And for
what else thou hast said, thou dost by words but labour to evade and
defer the execution of judgment. But could there be no more proved
against thee but that thou art a Diabolonian, thou must for that die the
death by the law; but to be a receiver, a nourisher, a countenancer, and
a harbourer of others of them, yea, of outlandish Diabolonians, yea, of
them that came from far on purpose to cut off and destroy our
Mansoul—this must not be borne.’
Then said Evil-Questioning: ‘I see how the game will go: I must die for
my name, and for my charity.’ And so he held his peace.
Then they called the outlandish doubters to the bar, and the first of
them that was arraigned was the election doubter. So his indictment was
read; and because he was an outlandish man, the substance of it was told
him by an interpreter; namely, ‘That he was there charged with being an
enemy of Emmanuel the Prince, a hater of the town of Mansoul, and an
opposer of her most wholesome doctrine.’
Then the judge asked him if he would plead? but he said only this—That he
confessed that he was an election doubter, and that that was the religion
that he had ever been brought up in. And said, moreover, ‘If I must die
for my religion, I trow, I shall die a martyr, and so I care the less.’
_Judge_. Then it was replied: ‘To question election, is to overthrow a
great doctrine of the gospel, namely, the omnisciency, and power, and
will of God; to take away the liberty of God with his creature, to
stumble the faith of the town of Mansoul, and to make salvation to depend
upon works, and not upon grace. It also belied the word, and disquieted
the minds of the men of Mansoul; therefore by the best of laws he must
die.’
Then was the vocation doubter called, and set to the bar; and his
indictment for substance was the same with the other, only he was
particularly charged with denying the calling of Mansoul.
The judge asked him also what he had to say for himself?
So he replied: ‘That he never believed that there was any such thing as a
distinct and powerful call of God to Mansoul; otherwise than by the
general voice of the word, nor by that neither, otherwise than as it
exhorted them to forbear evil, and to do that which is good, and in so
doing a promise of happiness is annexed.’
Then said the judge: ‘Thou art a Diabolonian, and hast denied a great
part of one of the most experimental truths of the Prince of the town of
Mansoul; for he has called, and she has heard a most distinct and
powerful call of her Emmanuel, by which she has been quickened, awakened,
and possessed with heavenly grace to desire to have communion with her
Prince, to serve him, and to do his will, and to look for her happiness
merely of his good pleasure. And for thine abhorrence of this good
doctrine, thou must die the death.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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